the_way
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
The Illest
Posts: 5,422 
|
Post by the_way on May 31, 2005 11:58:55 GMT -5
I always hear Coach Thompson refer to his 1985 team as the best team he had a G'Town. But thinking back I think the 1984 team was better. The 1984 team had the 1985 team's starting five and Broadnax and Dalton, PLUS Fred Brown, Gene Smith, and the difference maker in Michael Graham. The 1985 team wasn't that deep, after Broadnax and Dalton, McDonald hadn't become the player he was later and that was about it in terms of a contributing bench. I think Michael Graham is the X-factor when comparing the 84 vs. 85 team. If he had stayed at G'town, they would have beat Villanova, and they may have had a shot to win it all with Reggie and the miracles in 1987. What do you guys think??
|
|
|
|
Post by Frank Black on May 31, 2005 12:11:59 GMT -5
I agree, to me there is no real comparison. You can't subtract Gene Smith, Fred Brown and Michael Graham and add a freshman Perry MacDonald and be better. Quite apart from the fact that the 1985 team lost. The '84 team simply doesn't lose to Villanova in the title game, not happening. Sports is agony.
|
|
prhoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 23,373
|
Post by prhoya on May 31, 2005 12:13:48 GMT -5
Agree, my vote goes to the 1984 team. Also, the 1985 team plus Graham would have won the Nova game.
|
|
hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 10,245
|
Post by hoyarooter on May 31, 2005 12:23:42 GMT -5
I have to mildly dissent here, even though I am probably one of the biggest Gene Smith fans in the world. The 85 team was better because the starters had another full year of experience playing together. The team wasn't as deep as the 84 team, but it didn't need to be. Remember that the 84 team barely beat SMU to move to the regionals. If they had lost that game (or if the 85 team had beaten Nova), no one would be making the comparison. The 85 team was way more dominant over the course of the season.
|
|
the_way
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
The Illest
Posts: 5,422
|
Post by the_way on May 31, 2005 12:30:53 GMT -5
I have to mildly dissent here, even though I am probably one of the biggest Gene Smith fans in the world. The 85 team was better because the starters had another full year of experience playing together. The team wasn't as deep as the 84 team, but it didn't need to be. Remember that the 84 team barely beat SMU to move to the regionals. If they had lost that game (or if the 85 team had beaten Nova), no one would be making the comparison. The 85 team was way more dominant over the course of the season. You can't go by one against SMU to say 85 was better than 84. The 85 team had two close games against Villanova that year (one went into overtime). So, technically, the Villanova game wasn't really an upset. What made it so dramatic was the way Villanova won, shooting almost near perfect. I can see your argument in the sense that the starting 5 was more experienced, kinda of like UNLV, the year they were, ehem,"upset" by Duke "(I've always wondered how much the UNLV players were paid to throw that game). That UNLV team only went 7 deep. |
|
RDF
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 8,835
|
Post by RDF on May 31, 2005 13:31:43 GMT -5
Michael Graham and Gene Smith on '84 team give them edge and if Graham played on '85 team we might have gone undefeated and would've destroyed Nova in Final. He had just gotten comfortable playing along frontline with Patrick and it showed in BET and NCAA's. Another year?? WOW!!
The '85 team was unreal too, but I vote for '84 based on the Graham and Smith factors and defensive lockdown put on Kentucky in Semis as one of best displays of defense I've ever seen at College level.
|
|
the_way
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
The Illest
Posts: 5,422
|
Post by the_way on May 31, 2005 13:39:01 GMT -5
Now that I think about it, what about the 85-86 team with Graham. What would the possibilities be then. Possible Final Four? With the Baltimore, Inc (Williams and Wingate) and Michael Jackson, Maybe so. Championship? Maybe a stretch?
|
|
aggypryd
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 2,419
|
Post by aggypryd on May 31, 2005 16:32:41 GMT -5
Agree, my vote goes to the 1984 team. Also, the 1985 team plus Graham would have won the Nova game. The way Nova played in that game, it wouldn't have mattered if we had BILLY Graham... That was just their night... |
|
|
|
Post by gamp on May 31, 2005 17:55:15 GMT -5
I've always felt the 85 team was the better of the two. Still do.
|
|
the_way
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
The Illest
Posts: 5,422
|
Post by the_way on May 31, 2005 18:19:21 GMT -5
The way Nova played in that game, it wouldn't have mattered if we had BILLY Graham... That was just their night... Billy Graham. LOL!! ;D You are probably right about that one. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Frank Black on May 31, 2005 20:33:04 GMT -5
I wish Michael Graham had it more put together of course, he would have been fun to watch for 4 years. That 87 team could have been extremely tough to beat with seniors Williams and Graham. Ah well.
|
|
SaxaCD
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,402
|
Post by SaxaCD on Jun 1, 2005 8:48:06 GMT -5
I thought they were both great teams, and Graham certainly brought his "intangible" of being fired-up ALL the time, but having seen every game both of those teams played, I thought the 1985 team was not only slightly better, but also one of the best college basketball teams in NCAA history. When it takes a rival that knows you and has played you well in conference shooting 78% to win by TWO POINTS with you not playing your A game, you obviously have a very special team. St. John's was clearly the second-best team in the country that year, and when it counted (Big East tourney and NCAAs), the Hoyas took care of them nicely.
It was a real shame that team didn't win the title, but anything can happen during a ONE GAME situation. Over it's entire body of work, though, I think the 1985 team was Georgetown's -- and one of college basketball's -- best ever.
|
|
